Berberis plant named ‘NCBT1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Berberis  cultivar named ‘NCBT1’ is disclosed, characterized by purple foliage and a distinctively compact and round plant habit. Plants have very low female fertility. The new variety is a  Berberis , normally produced as an outdoor garden plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Berberis thunbergii var.atropurpurea.

Variety denomination: ‘NCBT1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Berberis cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Thomas Ranney, in Mills River, N.C. Theobjective of the breeding program was to produce new Berberis varietieswith purple foliage, compact plant forms and low fertility. The crossresulting in this new variety was made during Spring of 2005.

The seed parent is an unpatented, unnamed Berberis thunbergii var.atropurpurea. The pollen parent is also an unpatented, unnamed Berberisthunbergii var. atropurpurea. Seed collected from this crossing wastreated with ethyl methanesulfonate, to increase the likelihood ofmutation. The new variety was identified as a potentially interestingselection in Summer of 2006, at a research nursery in Mills River, N.C.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘NCBT1’ by stem cuttings wasfirst performed during the Summer of 2007, at a research nursery inMills River, N.C. Subsequent propagation has shown that the uniquefeatures of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type inthree successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘NCBT1’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘NCBT1’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘NCBT1’ as a new and distinct Berberis cultivar:

-   -   1. Purple foliage.    -   2. Compact, rounded habit.    -   3. Very low female fertility.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘NCBT1’ are similar to plants of the seedparent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the newcultivar ‘NCBT1’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. Very low female fertility. Approximately 98.8 to 100%        reduction in female fertility relative to the seed parent.    -   2. Compact habit. The seed parent has a loose, open habit.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘NCBT1’ are similar to plants of the pollenparent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the newcultivar ‘NCBT1’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. Very low female fertility. Approximately 98.8 to 100%        reduction in female fertility relative to the pollen parent.    -   2. Compact habit. The pollen parent has a loose, open habit.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘NCBT1’ can be compared to the unpatentedcommercial variety Berberis ‘Emerald Carousel’. These varieties aresimilar in most horticultural characteristics; however ‘NCBT1’ differsin the following:

-   -   1. Compact plant habit, whereas the comparator is a large plant        with a spreading habit.    -   2. Burgundy/red leaf color, whereas the comparator has a green        leaf color.    -   3. Very low female fertility, whereas the comparator is highly        fruitful.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical plant of ‘NCBT1’ grown in an outdoor flower bed.

FIG. 2 illustrates in full color a plant of ‘NCBT1’ in a three gallonnursery container. Age of the plant photographed is approximately 2years.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and althoughcolors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectanceit is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 1996 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘NCBT1’ plants grown outdoors in a researchnursery in Mills River, N.C. Measurements were taken during the Springand Summer of 2015. The plants were 2-3 years old, field grown. Thegrowing temperature ranged from approximately −10° C. to 35° C.Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical planttypes.

-   Botanical classification: Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea    ‘NCBT1’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: About 20 days at approximately 27° C.-   Root description: Density is moderate to dense, fibrous, freely    branching. Medium root thickness. White to brown in color, not    effectively measured with a color chart.-   Time to produce a rooted young plant: About 90 days at 27° C.

PLANT

-   Plant type: Cold hardy shrub. Deciduous.-   Age of plant described: Approximately 2-3 years old.-   Growth habit: Compact, low and spreading.-   Pot size of plant described: Field grown plants.-   Overall plant shape: Mound.-   Height: 40 cm.-   Plant spread: 60 cm.-   Growth rate: Moderate.-   Plant vigor: Good.-   Branching characteristics: Alternate whorled.-   Length of primary lateral branches: Average 19 cm, typical range 8    to 24 cm.-   Diameter of lateral branches: 1 to 3 mm.-   Quantity of lateral branches: Average 33.-   Lateral branch:    -   -   Appearance.—Matte.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Color.—Near RHS Purple N77A.        -   Pubescence.—None.-   Internode length: Average 12 mm, typical range 7 to 20 mm.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate whorled, single.        -   Leaf shape.—Obovate to rounded.        -   Average length.—21 mm, typical range 12 to 28 mm.        -   Average width.—15 mm, typical range 6 to 18 mm.        -   Apex.—Mucronate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Purple N77A .            Young foliage under side: Near RHS Greyed-Purple 183D.            Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS Greyed-Purple 187A.            Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Greyed-Purple N187B.        -   Venation.—Pattern: Pinnate, irregular. Color upper side:            Near RHS Greyed-Purple 187A. Color under side: Near RHS            Yellow-Green 144B.        -   Petiole.—Average Length: 1 mm. Diameter: 1 mm. Petiole color            upper side: Near RHS Purple N77A. Petiole color lower side:            Near RHS Greyed-Purple N187B. Petiole Texture upper side:            Smooth. Petiole Texture lower side: Smooth.        -   Foliage durability.—Foliage very durable to stress.        -   Spines.—Form: Simple. Attached to plant nodes, occurring 1            per node. Size: Average 7 mm long, typical range 4 to 8 mm.            Less than 1 mm wide. Color: Near RHS Purple N77A.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Spring.-   Inflorescence type and habit: Umbellate Fascicles. Axial occurring    along underside of branches.-   Flower longevity on plant: 2 weeks.-   Quantity of flowers per inflorescence: 3 to 8.-   Quantity of flowers per plant: 500 to 1000.-   Individual flowers:    -   -   Flower shape.—Star shaped.        -   Flower aspect.—Outwardly drooping.        -   Flowering arrangement.—Terminal.        -   Size.—Diameter: Approximately 5 mm. Depth: Approximately 9            mm.        -   Flower other characteristics.—Persistence: Self cleaning.            Fragrance: Not noted.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Rounded, globose.        -   Length.—3 to 4 mm.        -   Diameter.—3 to 4 mm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Greyed-purple 187A.-   Petal:    -   -   Petal arrangement.—Whorl.        -   Number of petals per flower.—5 to 6.        -   Petal shape.—Elliptic.        -   Petal base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Tip shape.—Obtuse.        -   Length.—4 mm.        -   Width.—3 mm.        -   Texture.—Upper: Smooth. Lower: Smooth.-   Petal color:    -   -   When opening.—Upper surface: Near RHS Yellow 12C flushed Red            46A. Lower surface: Near RHS Yellow 12C.        -   Fully opened.—Upper surface: Near RHS Yellow 12A. Lower            surface: Near RHS Yellow 12C.-   Sepal:    -   -   Arrangement.—Whorl.        -   Appearance.—Smooth.        -   Number.—6.        -   Shape.—Roughly orbicular.        -   Tip.—Acute to obtuse.        -   Base.—Acute to obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Length.—4 mm.        -   Width.—3 mm.        -   Texture, upper.—Smooth.        -   Texture, lower.—Smooth.        -   Color.—Upper surface at maturity: Near RHS Yellow-green            145B. Under surface at maturity: Near RHS Yellow-green 145B.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—6 mm.        -   Diameter.—Less than 1 mm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 146B.        -   Orientation.—Upright/outward.        -   Strength.—Good.        -   Texture.—Smooth/glabrous.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—6.        -   Filament length.—About 1 mm.        -   Filament color.—Near RHS green 137B.-   Anthers:    -   -   Shape.—Globular.        -   Length.—About 1 mm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow 12A.        -   Pollen color.—Near RHS Yellow 12A.        -   Pollen amount.—Some.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—1 per flower.        -   Length.—About 3 mm.        -   Style.—Length: About 3 mm. Color: Near RHS Red 46A.        -   Stigma.—Color: Near RHS Yellow 2A.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: Very rarely observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to    normal diseases and pests of Berberis have been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: The new variety tolerates temperatures    between −31° C. to 38° C.-   Environmental stressors: Good resistance to wind and rain.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Berberis plantnamed ‘NCBT1’ as herein illustrated and described.